Buddhist Scriptures (Penguin Classics)

by Anonymous

• ISBN13: 9780140447583
• ISBN10: 014044758X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-31
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

While Buddhism has no central text such as the Bible or the Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of Buddha. This rich anthology brings together works form a broad historical and geographical range, and form languages such as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese. There are tales of the Buddha's past lives, a discussion of the qualities and qualifications of a monk, and an exploration of the many meanings of Enlightenment. Together they provide a vivid picture of the Buddha and of the vast nature of the Buddhist tradition. This new edition contains many texts presented in English for the first time as well as new translations of some well-known works, and also includes an informative introduction and prefaces to each chapter by scholar of Buddhism Donald S. Lopez, with suggestions for further reading and a glossary.

Author Biography

Donald S. Lopez, Jr., is a professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies at the University of Michigan. His publications include The Story of Buddhism and, as editor, Buddhism in Practice.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
Technical Note	x
Introduction: Digesting the Dharma	xi
Further Reading	xlii
THE BUDDHIST UNIVERSE
1 The Realms of Rebirth	3	(16)
2 A Call to Practise	19	(5)
3 Karma Tales	24	(10)
4 A Lesson from a Ghost	34	(3)
5 A Scripture that Protects Kings	37	(9)
6 One Buddha per Universe	46	(5)
7 Two Buddhas Seated Side by Side	51	(9)
8 Rebirth in the Land of Bliss	60	(9)
9 Avoiding Hell, Gaining Heaven	69	(9)
10 A Chinese Pilgrim in India	78	(6)
11 A Sacred Peak	84	(6)
12. Maitreya Describes the Future	90	(11)
THE BUDDHA
13 The Three Jewels	101	(4)
14 The Noble Search	105	(11)
15 A Life of the Buddha	116	(13)
16 Maya, Mother of the Buddha	129	(7)
17 Why the Buddha Had Good Digestion	136	(6)
18 A King Gives Away His Head	142	(17)
19 Rupyavati Gives Away Her Breasts	159	(13)
20 How the Buddha Became a Bodhisattva	172	(13)
21 Proving the Buddha	185	(8)
22 Enshrining a Relic	193	(7)
23 The Consecration of a Buddha Image	200	(12)
24 A Hymn to the Buddha	212	(11)
MONASTIC LIFE
25 The Evolution of Ordination	223	(7)
26 Making Men into Monks	230	(22)
27 A Murderer Becomes a Monk	252	(10)
28 The Ascetic Ideal	262	(7)
29 Monks in the Mahayana	269	(9)
30 Making New Monastic Rules	278	(7)
31 Lives of Eminent Monks and Nuns	285	(12)
32 The Nine Patriarchs of the East	297	(9)
33 Taking the Vinaya Across the Sea	306	(12)
34 Zen for National Defence	318	(11)
35 How a Monk Freed his Mother from Hell	329	(6)
36 Living in the Degenerate Age	335	(8)
MEDITATION AND OTHER RITUALS
37 The Direct Path to Enlightenment	343	(7)
38 Wisdom and Compassion	350	(11)
39 Serenity and Discernment	361	(9)
40 On the Relation of Study and Meditation	370	(5)
41 Both Sudden and Gradual Enlightenment	375	(4)
42 Reciting the Name of the Buddha	379	(9)
43 The Bodhisattva Vow	388	(6)
44 Freeing Birds and Fish from Bondage	394	(8)
45 Against Animal Sacrifice	402	(14)
46 Feeding Hungry Ghosts	416	(7)
47 A Sutra for Long Life	423	(7)
48 Transforming Death into Buddhahood	430	(11)
ENLIGHTENMENT
49 A Lay Master of Meditation	441	(4)
50 Nuns Triumph over Evil	445	(5)
51 The Perfection of Wisdom	450	(14)
52. In Praise of Reality	464	(14)
53 Songs of the Siddhas	478	(10)
54 The Ultimate Couple	488	(7)
55 Buddhahood in this Lifetime	495	(9)
56 The Practice of No Thought	504	(9)
57 Finding Enlightenment in the Final Age	513	(9)
58 The Gift of Faith	522	(9)
59 A Zen Master Interprets the Dharma	531	(9)
60 Dedication of Merit	540	(9)
Glossary	549